Trace-fastener.



PATENTED FEB. 26

J. W. SlMoNDs.

TRACE FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED PBB.10, 1906.

[NVENTO R;

A TTOR/VE 1/5 JOHN W. SIMONDS, OF

ATENT FFI OEQ GREENVILLE, TEXAS.

TRACE-FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb 26, 1907.

Application filed February 10. 1906. Serial No. 300,464.

To a whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN W. SIMoNDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenville, in the county of Hunt and State of Texas, have invented a new and useful Trace-Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trace-fasteners, and has for its object to simplify and im prove the construction and increase the utility and efiiciency of devices of this character.

With these and other objects in View, which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, is illustrated the preferred form of the embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, and Fig. 2 is a side elevation, of a portion of a swingletree and trace with the improvement appied'.

The improved device comprises a member 10, preferably in annular or ring shape and with a radial loop 11 communicating therewith, the loop being less in thickness than the body of the annular member, as shown in Fig. 1. Movably engaging the member is a link 12, adapted to enter the loop 11, and movably coupled to the link 12, as by a clip 13, is the trace, a portion of which is represented at 14. A portion of a swingletree is represented at 15 with an eye 16, movably l supporting a hook 17, the entrance 18 of the hook being less than the thickness of the member 10, but greater than the thickness of the loop portion 11. By this arrangement it will be obvious that when the member 10 is disposed with the thinner loop portion 11 5 presented to the contracted entrance 18 of the hook 17 it will pass therethrough and enable the larger annular member to pass into the larger interior of the hook, when by returning the link 12 to its position in the loop the trace will be coupled to the swingletree and cannot be released therefrom unless the annular member be again disposed with the thinner loop disposed for passage through the contracted entrance to the hook. It is obvious, therefore, that so long as any strain is imparted to the trace to hold the link 12 in engagement with the loop 11 the trace will not be released. The trace can be released only by disposing the member 10 in a very unusual position, a position it will not assume while the device is in use or strain is applied to the trace.

The device is simple in construction and can be readily applied to any form of trace.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1. In a trace-fastener, an annular member having a radial loop communicating therewith and of less thickness than the annular member, a link movably engaging said loop, and a hook having a contracted entrance adapted to pass over the reduced loop but too small to pass over the body of the annular member.

2. The combination with a whiifletrec having a hook formed with a contracted entrance, an annular member having a radial loop less in thickness than the annular mem ber and less than the entrance to said hook, a link movably engaging said loop, and a trace movably coupled to said link.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aliixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. SIMON DS.

YVitnesses:

ANNIE WEATHERLY, L. L. BOWMAN. 

